Steam log-transfer



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. A. KELLY & W. A. WILKINSON. STEAM LOG TRANSFER.

No. 538,613. y l Patented Apr. 30, 1895.

ma uonms PETERS co, buoronnno.. wAsl-unacu. n. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. G.- A'. KELLY & Wi A. WILKINSON. STEAM-Loa TRANSFER.

m. J j .s .muy FM w, L V M. n e0 m .f d I ma .w a .w e .N .f z w G .d P L y s E WIN f. a m AM, @N H m... QQ L w:.---. %..-.l. if ,wrfqumwawwi ...p o Sw m ww. .Nw @Mw w M MN W U.; ...0., 3 5 W N (o'Modlel.) v I l Smets-Sheet 3. G. A. KELLY 8v W. A.VWILKINSON.

STEAM LOG TRANSFER No. 538,613. Patented Apr. 30, 1895'.

*Awb yw/ C/'HO P/veyf i NITED STATES' GEORGE A. KELLY AND'WILLIAM A. IVILKINSON, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

STEAM Loc-TRANSFER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,613, dated. April 30,1895. Application led April 20, 1894. Serial No. 508,325. (No model.) i

the gang rolls which are adapted to carry theV logs or cants to the gang sawing machine or other destination; and the object of our invention is to provide steam actuated means for lifting and carrying the logs from the saw rolls to the cross carrier or transfer, and a further object is to provide similarly operated means for lifting and carrying the logs or cants from said carrier or transfer and depositing the same upon the gang rolls or vice versa.

Our invention consists in general in the combination with the saw rolls or ways, of

tilting or pivotedarms and means for raising' the same between said rolls to lift a log or cant therefrom,in combination with a driven chain or belt operating over each arm, and whereby the logs or cants lifted thereby are carried off the arms and deposited upon the cross carrier timbers, and in the combination, with the gang rolls, of lifting timbers and chains or belts operating over the same, and means for raising said liftingtimbers whereby the logs are lifted from the cross timbers and conveyed over the gang rolls to be deposited thereon by the lowering of said lifting timbers, and in a particular steam actuated mechanism combined with the above, and in various details of construction and in combinations all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Our invention willpbe more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan -View of a double log-lifting mechanism embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a modiiication showing two sets of gang-rolls and the mechanism below them connecting the lifting-timbers with the steam-cylinder. Fig.

` mally 4 is a sectional view showing the ends of the gang-rolls, the rock-bar, and other mechanism for operating the lifting-timbers.

As shown in the drawings, 2 and 3 represent the two sets of saw rolls adapted to carry the logs or cants from their respective circular or band saws. The several rolls are driven in the same direction and by the ordinary means. The series of gang rolls 4 are preferably parallel with the saw rolls, and arranged midway between them.

5-5 and 6-6 represent the stationary beams of the cross carriers or transfers, each provided with a channel 7 for the sprocket belt 8. The tops of the belts or chains extend a little above the upper surface of the timbers of the cross carrier so that the logs, cants or other timbers are carried upon the chains. The sprocket beltspass over sprocket wheels 9 provided in the end of the cross carrier timbers and are driven fromaconstantly rotating shaft, which, however, may be rotated in either direction by the set of Lfriction pulleys 11.

The long vertically movable lifting timbers 12 are arranged parallel with the cross carrier timbers 5 and 6 and lap beyond the ends thereof a considerable distance. A sprocket or chain belt 15 is arranged to operate along the top of each timber 12, the belts being driven from sprocket wheels 13 provided on the reversible shaft 14 arranged to be rotated in either direction through the medium of the set of friction cones 15. To take up the slack in the belts 15 of the lifting timbers 12 we provide cross arms 16 and idler wheels 17 for each belt. the belts 15 is changed the idler on one side of the sprocket wheel 13 will be thrown up and the idler upon the other side of the sprocket wheel thrown down, and the slack will thereby be taken-up and the beltsbe held from dropping olf the sprocket wheels 13, and sufficient slack is left in the belts to permit the timbers 12 to be raised while the shaft 14 remains stationary.

The timbers 12 extend across between the gang rolls 4 and the tops of the timbers norlie beneath the tops of the stationary beams of the cross carrier. At opposite ends beneath the lifting timbers 12 we provide It' the direction of movement of IOO rocking shafts 18 whereon said timbers 4are supported by means of pivotal links 20'which extend upward from short arms 2l secured upon the rocking shafts. A steam cylinder 22--23 is provided beneath each rocking shaft 18 and the piston rod of each is connected by a rod 2i to the arms 2l secured upon the rocking shaft. The inlet and e'xhaust of steam from the two cylinders 22 and 23 are controlled by means of corresponding hand levers 27 and 2S extending through the Hoor above and having their lower ends connected by a suitable arrangement of rods and 29 to the Valve stem 30 of the cylinder. Two tilting pivoted arms 3l extend across each saw way 2 and 3 between the rolls thereof and preferably in line with the cross carrier timbers 56. These arms 3l are preferably lower than the tops of the 'saw rolls and the inner ends of the arms are curved downwardly and pivoted in "blocks 33 arranged `on the cross carrier timbers. The outer ends `ofthe arms are supported by links or connecting; rods Selhaving their lower ends secured on the arms 35 o f the respective rocking shafts '3G-- p, 37. Beneath are the steam cylinders 38-*395 the piston rods 40 thereof beingconnect'edto the arms 4l on the rocking shafts 36-37. The i inlet and exhaust of steam fromthe two cyl-gv inders 38 and 39 are regulated by 'means ofi the hand levers 43 and 49 "respectively, cou-l nected to the'valve stems as in the caseof`the middle levers 27-28.

45 and 46 represent similar driving shaftsl arranged to be driven fromthe main driving f shaft 48 of the mechanism andfrom sprocket.` wheels 48 and 48" on these shafts. Loosel sprocket chains or belts 50 extend over `thesel sprocket wheels, over `the -tilting or lifting arms 31 above, passing over idler'wheels provided in the outer yends of said arms.` Owingto the curved form of the innerendof the arm other idlers 'are dispensed with at those points.

The modification shown i'nFig. 3 maybe described as thesame as that shownin Figs. l and 2, Vwith the exception that in place of single long timbers `l2 two timbers 60 take the place of each 'and lifting powerisapplied to thei'nner ends thereof. Thepairsof lifting timbers Oare independently movable so that one sideof the mechanism may "beused' without the other. `In this case two sets of gang rolls are `preferably employed, th'esame being provided between the outer ends of the lftingtinibers. In order Athat `the throwbf the timbersinay be regulated `wepreferalfily provide aslot and pin connection 'between each of thelong rocker arms Vandttlie piston connecting rod belonging thereto.

The operation of our steam logtransferis as follows: The slabsgboards, 'and 'the cants are brought from tliebandsawlbythe rolls 2-3. The arms 3l normally liebeneath the `tops ofthe saw rolls'and hencethe slabs and boards will becarried along'over the armaud thegangrolh l pulley lever connected with the pulleys of the set of fricti'on'cones l5 is thrown so that *the sprocket chains or `belts onthe timbers l2 the gangrolls.

segale to their proper destination; but when a cant approaches along the saw rolls it is allowed to advance until its ends are brought over the two lifting arms 3l, at which instant the man at the lever 43 or ll5), whichever side of the machine the cant comes from throws his lever to open the steam portbeneath the piston of the cylinder, whereupon the piston is forced up, lifting the rocker arms and therewith the outer ends of the tilting or lifting arms-31. The cant is thus taken up on the arm 3l and lifted clear of the saw roll and is immediately carried sidewise by the moving sprocket belt operating on the tops of the arms 3l. The cant is thus carried upon the cross carrier chain and moves therewith toward the gang roll until striking suitable stops provided at the `edge of the gang way, wherethe cant is held vthe-"carrier lbelts or chainssliding beneath it. The next cant is 'transferred in a similar man- `'ner `and delivered at the sides `of the first cant, and so on until a gang lload has been accumulated, whereupon thelever 27 or 28 is "thrown to open the corresponding steam port of a corresponding cylinder and thereby raise theendof thellifting transfer timbers l2 which lift the accumulated cants from the cross carrier Ebealnsto a height vabove the tops of At the same"tiinethe friction willmove to carrytlie groupof cants over At the instant the same arriveat'a point justover the gang rolls the handlever is thrown in the opposite direction to drop the steam piston and therewith 'the timbers l21to deposit the group of cants uponthe gang roll, `by which rolls they are carried to thegang saw or other device.

Both sides of our machinemaybe operated atthesameti'me and the cants from the opposite sidesr'nay'besorted together or upon `one side only to make up the proper gang load, orthe two sides 'or ends of'the vertically movablelifting frame maybe operated alternately,one load lbeing "thrown on `thegang r'o'lls while `the other is `being accumulated onthe others'ide.

Where one side of the niillhas occasion to be operated without the other we prefer to provide independentlifters such as are shown ina Fig. 3 ofthe drawings.

lt is obviousthat this mechanism may be duplicated ata point back of lthe gang saws and used to distribute thelumber on either one or "both `sides of the several gang rolls leadingfromv the saws.

nvVVefGlatiDJ-*T il. The combination, with the saw rolls, of pivoted arms extending across the same and normally -below the upper surface thereof,

chains `or lbelts operating over said arms,

lmeansforjraisingfthe outer end of said arms, `'stationarytimbers below the plane of saidsaw rollsand extending from said rolls to gang IIO IZO

rolls parallel thereto, chains operating in channels in said timbers forming therewith a cross carrier, vertically movable lifting timbers below the plane of said cross carrier timbers and gang rolls, chains operating over said timbers, a regulable steam mechanism for rais'- in g or lowering the same, and a friction mechanism for changing the direction of the moving chains thereon, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the saw rolls, of pivoted arms extending across the same and normally below the upper surface thereof, chains or beltsl operating over said arms, means for raising the outer ends of said arms, stationary timbers below the plane of said saw rolls and extending from said rolls to gang rolls parallel thereto, chains operating in channels in said timbers forming therewith a cross carrier, vertically movable lifting tim' bers extending between the gang rolls below the upper surface thereof, and the upper surface of the timbers of said carrier and overlapping the ends thereof, and a regulable steam mechanism forraising or lowering said lifting timbers, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the gang rolls, of vertically movable lifting timbers between the gang rolls and extending outwardly on either side therefrom, a steam actuated mechanism beneath said lifting timbers for raising or lowering the same, chains operating over said lifting timbers, a reversible shaft beneath said gang rolls and timbers, sprocket wheels 13 on said shaft, similar sprocket wheels on the ends of said lifting timbers, sprocket belts passing over said sprocket wheels, idler sprocket wheels on either side of said sprocket wheels 13 to take up the slack in said sprocket belts, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the gang rolls, of the cross carrier timbers for conveying logs thereto, vertically movable lifting timbers between said gang rolls andl extending outwardly therefrom and overlapping the ends of the timbers of said cross carrier, a steam actuated mechanism for raising or lowering said lifting timbers, chains operating over said timbers, a reversible shaft beneath said gang rolls and timbers, sprockets 13 upon said shaft, similar sprockets on the ends of said lifting timbers, chains or belts passing over said wheels, idler sprockets on the cross arms 16 to engage the sprocket belts on either side of said sprocket wheels 13, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the two sets of saw rolls, of the pivoted lifting arms between said rolls, chains operating over said arms, a regulable steam mechanism for operating said arms, the middle gang rolls, the stationary cross timbers extending from the saw rolls to the gang rolls, the chains running over said timbers, the vertically movable lifting timbers extending across the gang way between the gang rolls and overlapping the ends of the stationary cross timbers, the chains operating over said lifting timbers, means for reversing the movement of said chains, and means for taking up the slack therein, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with' the saw rolls, of pivoted arms extending across the same and normally below the upper surface thereof, chains or belts operating over said arms, a regulable steam mechanism for raising the outer end of said arms, stationary timbers below the plane of said saw rolls, and extending from said rolls to gang rolls parallel thereto, chains operating in channelsin said timbers, vertically movable lifting timbers between said gang rolls, a regulable steam mechanism for raising or lowering the same, a reversible shaft below said timbers, sprocket wheels `13 on said shaft, sprockets on the ends of said timbers, belts operating over said sprockets, cross arms 16, the idler wheels 17 carried by said cross arms, and the friction mechanism for changing the direction of the moving chains on said lifting timbers, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the saw rolls, of

pivoted arms extending across the same. and 

